Playing with Fire
Teach man how to fish
By Gonzalo Duque
WERE we glad that Mayor Benjie Lim came and gave a nice talk before media colleagues last Wednesday?
Yes naman, we’re fair game to all, especially to the father of the city. When we are critical of him, we’re just being fair with him and the issue at hand. Unauthorized taxation gets our goat, you all know that. Elementary. di ba?
But in the Media in Action of the Pangasinan Press Club, we wish to thank him for honoring our invitation. Sorry, we were not there, thanks and no thanks to the Coordinating Council for Private Schools in Manila. The local media must have missed some fireworks. But no, not exactly, because we were meaning to be extra sober, patient and graceful to the mayor.
Basta kailangan lang i-refund kamimg mga naapi, di ba. Macky?
And so the show must go on. Mayor Benjie, too, was fair game, according to our Executive Director Ging Cardinoza. He faced all the questions with candor, intelligence and sobriety. We just wonder had we been there.
When he offered to foot the bill for the snacks, the good mayor was politely reminded that under the presidency of Atty. Duque, that tradition has been abolished. We heard Mayor Benjie was pleased and, if we may say so, impressed. Ibang media ito, he must have been saying.
Iba nga, and we mean to just do it again and again till we are out of the helm.
We keep emphasizing, we only invite guest speakers, not “guest spenders,” right Ashok?
We hope in some future forums, we’d have him again and this time, with Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, para masaya. What do you think, comrades?
Ok daw, says, Orly Navarro.
* * * *
At the educators meeting, yes, in the private sector, most of those present were complaining of a suffocating feeling. The consensus: there are so many laws being passed that have the effect of strangulating us in the private sector.
Take the “no permit, no exams” policy. It’s being slammed to oblivion. It now reads “can take exams without permit.”
The question rises: Does the state mean to kick us out of existence? If we loosen our hold on — as what Martin Nievera would belt out in a song — “What Matters Most” when you operate a school is the wherewithal to keep it going. If we loosen up, if we relax, if we set free our handle on the funds, why, will anyone of us stay alive? Come on, tell us.
How shall we pay our employees, our professors, teachers, staff, and the nitty gritty of the business?
This has been going on for a long time. You, too, dear readers, please factor this in. Suppose we abide by what Labor and all these do-gooders are saying to just allow “no permit, will take exams” or just give free education! Is here any sense to it? We strongly feel that the government is being fed the wrong things about the plight of private education in the country. There’s too much government interference. Tuition fees have been over regulated.
Is the country moving to a socialist state? God forbid!
We hope P-Noy and his advisers see thru the machinations of those who are pushing the patience of private education to the limit. We love democracy, free enterprise, a level playing field, freedom — these are the verities his mother and father fought for with their blood.
Only to be drenched in blood because some Smart Alecks are doing the nasty whispers on his ears in the guise of public interest? Apo Pangulo, Use your power of discernment naman! Kawawa na kaming nasa private education! Don’t allow the country to fall in communism, please for the sake of our children and grand children.
We suffered a temporary setback in the House. We hope that on August 22 when Senator Ed Angara meets with us, COCOPEA, this very crucial, if very, very critical issue will be dealt with success. Upon it will depend private education’s future in the country.
Let’s stop this spoon-feeding practice. We should remain guided by that Confucian dictum, “give man a fish, and he will eat for a day; teach him how to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.”.
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